• by Karl Greenberg , December 3, 2008

MillerCoors has tapped San Antonio, Texas-based Bromley Communications as its Hispanic media planning and buying agency of record. Bromley will function within the newly formed dedicated media unit, MC Media. MC Media also consists of Draftfcb, Initiative and Kinetic.

Coors Light recently launched a Hispanic-market promotion that asks consumers to submit videos, photos or blogs about how they stay cool. Entry is at www.piensaenfrio.com/concurso. The top entries will be determined by a combination of votes and a Coors Light judging panel which will evaluate entries. Prizes include Coors Light-branded coolers, cabinets, watches, electronics and games.

The company also sponsored the 29th Annual Florida Classic presented by State Farm. The Classic, which took place on Nov. 22 at Florida's Citrus Bowl in Orlando, features the football teams of Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M, both traditionally black universities. As part of its sponsorship, Coors Light had a FanFare-Coors Light Zone, and promotional site, www.coorslightclassic.com.

Benjamin Steinman, editor of Beer Marketers Insights, says the Hispanic market is one of the growth areas in the mature U.S. beer market. "It's heating up, but traditionally Coors is under-represented in both African American and Hispanic markets," he says. "In the last couple of years, as Coors has ramped up their marketing and they have gained." He says Anheuser-Busch, with a 48% share of the entire U.S. beer market, is also No. 1 among Hispanics. Also strong are the Mexican labels like Corona and Tecate.

And light beers are well consumed by Hispanics, as they are in the general market, where light comprises 50% of the market. Stein points out that while overall Hispanic consumption of beer is lower than in the general market, "the numbers are misleading because among young Hispanic males, beer consumption is actually higher." That is because fewer older Hispanics drink beer than older members of the general market.